U.S. Highway 34 in the Big Thompson Canyon is your best place to see the bighorn sheep, with an estimated herd of 80 to 90 animals living in the area. / Courtesy of Vic Schendel

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Wildlife viewing tips

• Time your outing for morning or evening, when wildlife are most active. Wear earth-tone clothes such as gray, khaki and olive green. Animals will tolerate you better if you blend into the surroundings. Keep your distance, for the safety and comfort of both animals and people. If an animal changes its behavior, stops eating or seems nervous at your presence, it’s time to back away. Stay quiet and still. Noise and quick movements mean “danger” to wildlife. They might run or fly off, sometimes leaving their nests or young unprotected. Never chase or harass wildlife. Look to the edges of the landscape (where the forest meets the meadow for example) because many wildlife species spend time along habitat edges. Look for movement, shapes and color contrasts.Motion is the best giveaway. Also, look for parts of an animal such as its head, tail, ear, wing or antler. • Use binoculars, a spotting scope or a telephoto lens for a close-up view. • Use your car as a viewing blind.Pull safely off the road. Respect others who are viewing the same animals. • Avoid animals that behave unexpectedly or aggressively. They might be ill, injured or have young nearby. • Leave your pets at home. Pets hinder wildlife watching. They can chase, injure or kill wildlife, or be injured or killed. • Do not feed wild animals. It can change their behavior in ways that can be harmful — both to them and to people. Source: Colorado Parks and Wildlife

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Wildlife watching is one of Colorado’s favorite pastimes. With moose and bighorn sheep roaming the state’s pristine forests, and bald eagles soaring in the skies near lakes and rivers, it’s easy to see why.

Fort Collins and the surrounding area is home to many of these majestic animals. Grab your binoculars and start driving up the Poudre Canyon or to Rocky Mountain National Park and chances are, you’ll catch a glimpse of Colorado’s official animal or see one of the state’s thousands of elk.

Read on for a guide of where to find some of Colorado’s most majestic animals.

Moose

• Info: Moose are State Forest State Park’s claim to fame. The large, kind-of-goofy animals have large heads, long legs and, sometimes, a very short temper. They are usually docile but can act aggressively and charge if they sense a need to defend themselves or their young. If with a dog, keep them on a leash to avoid any unwanted confrontations. The general rule of thumb is if they are watching you, you are too close. They rarely leave their home territory during winter. Look for moose among the willows and brush along streams and ponds. On the trails, moose tracks are large with a two-toed hoof that is about 6 inches long.

• Where to see them: State Forest State Park near North Park is home to the largest concentration of moose in the state, with an estimated 600 animals. Stop at the visitor center and look at the wildlife viewing board that records recent wildlife sightings or ask park personnel. If you go out for a hike and return to your car, don’t be surprised if you see moose licking the side of your vehicle. They’re doing that for the salt picked up from the roads. The nearby Moose Visitor Center off Colorado Highway 14, 1 mile east of Gould, features interpretive displays and self-guided trails. Information: www.parks.state.co.us/parks/stateforest.

• When to see them: Early mornings and early evenings are the best times, but it’s possible to see moose any time of day.

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Bighorn Sheep

• Info: Colorado is home to the largest population of bighorn sheep in the U.S., with an estimated 7,000, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Naturally, the bighorn sheep is Colorado’s official animal. The rams have the large, curled horns that can weigh up to 10 percent of the animal’s body weight of 150 to 250 pounds. During the rut season (November and December), the rams bash their horns — which take seven to eight years to fully curl — against each other while courting the females, or ewes. The ewes also have horns, but theirs are more spikelike. Spot the bighorn sheep by scanning the mountainside with binoculars and look for their white backside. Their gray coats can sometimes blend in with the granite rock of the canyon walls where they like to live. Now is an excellent time to see the bighorn; they are less easy to find in spring and early summer when ewes are lambing, or in fall during hunting season.

• Where to see them: U.S. Highway 34 in the Big Thompson Canyon is your best place to see the bighorn sheep, with an estimated herd of 80 to 90 animals living in the area. They mostly can be found on the north side of the canyon grazing on steep, grassy slopes or rocky outcrops. Especially keep your eyes peeled as you first enter Big Thompson Canyon and farther up U.S. 34 just west of Drake. Take care as traffic on the rebuilt highway following last September’s flooding can be heavy.

Bighorn sheep can also be seen in Rocky Mountain National Park between Horseshoe Park and the Fall River entrance. The Big Bend Campground area in the Poudre Canyon has also been home to bighorn sheep.

• When to see them: Morning and late afternoon, when they come to drink in the Big Thompson River, are the best times to see them up close.

Elk

• Info: With an estimated 280,000 elk, Colorado is the elk capital of the world. Rocky Mountain National Park is home to the October elk rut, when the males impress the herd — and thousands of visitors — with their high-pitched bugle. However, seeing elk in Colorado is a year-round affair. Elk range throughout mountainous parts of the state, foraging in meadows and alpine tundra.

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• Where to see them: Rocky Mountain National Park (and Estes Park) are a sure thing to see elk. Moraine Park, Horseshoe Park and Upper Beaver Meadows are all prime spots. The elk are generally closer to the road in Moraine Park compared to Horseshoe Park. Park at the designated pullouts, turn off car lights and engine, and start snapping those photos.

• When to see them: Early mornings and early evenings are the best times, but it’s possible to see elk any time of day.

Bald eagles

• Info: Colorado Parks and Wildlife estimates about 400 to 1,000 bald eagles winter in Colorado, with about 250 to 350 in Larimer, Weld and Boulder counties. Look for their trademark white heads. The majestic beauties are rarely seen far from water — large rivers, lakes and reservoirs. Windsor Lake has become a popular place to see the large birds roosting during the winter.

• Where to see them: Just west of the intersection of Interstate 25 and Larimer County Road 32 is Fossil Creek Reservoir Natural Area. This is where you will find some of the largest concentrations of bald eagles, but the viewing is difficult because the eagles generally are far from the viewing area. Bring a spotting scope or good pair of binoculars and view from the wildlife viewing pier along the reservoir. Join a master naturalist for a guided tour. Information: www.fcgov.com/naturalareas.

Arapaho Bend Natural Area: From Harmony Road, drive north along Strauss Cabin Road on the eastern edge of Fort Collins and look for the eagles either in the cottonwood trees or on the pond ice.

Dixon Reservoir: Located along Larimer County Road 42C, just south of Hughes Stadium, this spot is not as reliable as other spots, but sometimes you will see eagles on the ice or perched in the trees on the northwest side of the lake.

• When to see them: Sunrise and sunset

Xplore reporter Stephen Meyers covers the outdoors and recreation for the Coloradoan. Follow him on Twitter @stemeyer or Facebook.com/meyersreports.